The 1999–2000 San Antonio Spurs season was the 24th season for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association, their 27th season as the Spurs, and their 33rd season as a franchise. The Spurs entered the regular season as the reigning champions, having won their first NBA championship in the 1999 NBA Finals, where they defeated the New York Knicks in five games.
Season summary
Off-season During the off-season, the Spurs signed free agents Terry Porter, Samaki Walker and Chucky Brown. However, prior to the regular season, Sean Elliott was diagnosed with a kidney disorder, and missed the first four months of the season; he would then receive a kidney transplant from his brother, Noel.
The Spurs were originally scheduled to play two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves overseas in Tokyo, Japan in November during the first month of the regular season, but because they won the NBA championship, they were obligated to play in the McDonald's Championship in Milan, Italy in October.
Regular season With the addition of Porter, the Spurs got off to a fast start by winning 14 of their first 17 games of the regular season, which included a seven-game winning streak between November and December, and later on held a 32–17 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, Brown was released to free agency after 30 games, and re-signed with his former team, the Charlotte Hornets. On March 14, 2000, Elliott returned to the team to play in a home game against the Atlanta Hawks, in which the Spurs won at the Alamodome, 94–79; Elliott played in the final 19 games of the season. The Spurs won six of their final seven games, and finished in second place in the Midwest Division with a 53–29 record, earning the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
Tim Duncan averaged 23.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, while David Robinson averaged 17.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. In addition, Avery Johnson provided the team with 11.2 points and 6.0 assists per game, while Porter contributed 9.4 points and 3.3 assists per game, and Mario Elie provided with 7.5 points per game. Meanwhile, Malik Rose averaged 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while three-point specialist Jaren Jackson contributed 6.3 points per game, and led the Spurs with 108 three-point field goals, Elliot averaged 6.0 points per game, Walker provided with 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, and Jerome Kersey contributed 4.5 points per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at The Arena in Oakland in Oakland, California, Duncan and Robinson were both selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team. Duncan scored 24 points along with 14 rebounds, as he and Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers both shared the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award, as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 137–126. Meanwhile, Porter participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout for the third time. Duncan also finished in fifth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Elliott finished tied in eleventh place in Most Improved Player voting.
The Spurs finished second in the NBA in home-game attendance behind the Chicago Bulls, with an attendance of 884,450 at the Alamodome during the regular season.
NBA playoffs In the Western Conference First Round of the 2000 NBA playoffs, the Spurs faced off against the 5th–seeded Phoenix Suns, a team that featured Clifford Robinson, Penny Hardaway, and All-Star guard Jason Kidd. Despite both teams finishing with the same regular-season record, the Spurs had home-court advantage in the series. However, shortly before the regular season ended, Duncan suffered a season-ending left knee injury.
Without Duncan, the Spurs lost Game 1 to the Suns at home, 72–70 at the Alamodome, but managed to win Game 2 at home, 85–70 to even the series. However, the Spurs lost the next two games to the Suns on the road, which included a Game 4 loss at the America West Arena, 89–78, in which Kidd returned from an ankle injury; the Spurs lost the series to the Suns in four games. This was the first time that the Spurs lost in the opening round of the NBA playoffs since the 1993–94 season.
Aftermath Following the season, Elie signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns, and Kersey signed with the Milwaukee Bucks during the next season.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 29 Leon Smith PF Martin Luther King HS (IL) 2 57 Manu Ginóbili SG
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot
Regular season
| 1 | November 2 | Philadelphia | | Tim Duncan (20) | Tim Duncan (16) | Avery Johnson (6) | Alamodome27,288 | 1–0 |- | 2 | November 4 | Golden State | | David Robinson (19) | Tim Duncan (14) | Terry Porter (6) | Alamodome14,508 | 2–0 |- | 3 | November 5 | @ Houston | | Terry Porter (18) | David Robinson (11) | Avery Johnson (9) | Compaq Center16,285 | 3–0 |- | 4 | November 7 | @ Phoenix | | Tim Duncan (15) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (6) | America West Arena19,023 | 3–1 |- | 5 | November 9 | @ Golden State | | Malik Rose (21) | Tim Duncan (11) | Tim Duncan, Jaren Jackson (5) | The Arena in Oakland11,601 | 4–1 |- | 6 | November 10 | @ L. A. Clippers | | Tim Duncan (22) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (6) | Reunion Arena11,118 | 5–1 |- | 7 | November 13 | Charlotte | | Tim Duncan (22) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (12) | Alamodome19,669 | 6–1 |- | 8 | November 15 | @ Utah | | Tim Duncan (32) | David Robinson (10) | Avery Johnson, Terry Porter (3) | Alamodome19,584 | 6–2 |- | 9 | November 16 | Indiana | | Tim Duncan, David Robinson (22) | Tim Duncan (15) | Terry Porter (5) | Alamodome15,905 | 7–2 |- | 10 | November 18 | @ Milwaukee | | Tim Duncan (29) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (6) | Bradley Center15,184 | 7–3 |- | 11 | November 20 | Dallas | | Jaren Jackson (23) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome16,596 | 8–3 |- | 12 | November 22 | @ Philadelphia | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (6) | First Union Center16,553 | 9–3 |- | 13 | November 24 | @ Boston | | Tim Duncan (31) | Tim Duncan (15) | Avery Johnson (9) | FleetCenter17,426 | 10–3 |- | 14 | November 26 | Chicago | | Tim Duncan (23) | Tim Duncan (10) | Avery Johnson (5) | Alamodome24,919 | 11–3 |- | 15 | November 27 | Denver | | Malik Rose (21) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome22,188 | 12–3 |- | 16 | November 30 | Detroit | | Tim Duncan (28) | Tim Duncan (10) | Mario Elie (7) | Alamodome18,328 | 13–3
| 17 | December 2 | @ New Jersey | | David Robinson (27) | David Robinson (13) | Avery Johnson (7) | Continental Airlines Arena 13,626 | 14–3 |- | 18 | December 3 | @ Detroit | | David Robinson (15) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills18,338 | 14–4 |- | 19 | December 5 | @ Toronto | | Tim Duncan (27) | Tim Duncan (13) | Mario Elie (6) | Air Canada Centre18,455 | 14–5 |- | 20 | December 7 | @ Indiana | | Tim Duncan (30) | David Robinson (17) | Tim Duncan, Terry Porter (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse18,345 | 14–6 |- | 21 | December 9 | Vancouver | | Tim Duncan (42) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (6) | Alamodome 14,778 | 15–6 |- | 22 | December 11 | Washington | | Tim Duncan (23) | Tim Duncan (13) | Avery Johnson (4) | Alamodome17,187 | 15–7 |- | 23 | December 14 | @ Dallas | | Tim Duncan (29) | Tim Duncan (12) | Jaren Jackson (7) | Reunion Arena 13,685 | 16–7 |- | 24 | December 15 | Houston | | Tim Duncan (20) | Tim Duncan (10) | Terry Porter (5) | Alamodome23,837 | 17–7 |- | 25 | December 17 | Boston | | Tim Duncan (30) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (6) | Alamodome17,264 | 18–7 |- | 26 | December 18 | @ Denver | | Tim Duncan (33) | David Robinson (12) | Avery Johnson (5) | Pepsi Center17,318 | 18–8 |- | 27 | December 21 | Phoenix | | Tim Duncan (25) | Tim Duncan (16) | Avery Johnson (7) | Alamodome23,480 | 19–8 |- | 28 | December 23 | Milwaukee | | Tim Duncan (18) | Tim Duncan (15) | Avery Johnson (10) | Alamodome22,581 | 19–9 |- | 29 | December 25 | @ L. A. Lakers | | Tim Duncan (28) | David Robinson (19) | Avery Johnson (6) | STAPLES Center18,997 | 19–10 |- | 30 | December 27 | @ Golden State | | David Robinson (28) | David Robinson (14) | Avery Johnson (9) | The Arena in Oakland12,447 | 20–10 |- | 31 | December 30 | @ Vancouver | | Tim Duncan (32) | Tim Duncan (15) | Tim Duncan (4) | General Motors Place14,403 | 21–10
| 32 | January 4 | @ Minnesota | | Tim Duncan (27) | Tim Duncan (19) | Tim Duncan, Avery Johnson (5) | Target Center15,179 | 21–11 |- | 33 | January 5 | Seattle | | Tim Duncan (24) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (9) | Alamodome14,741 | 21–12 |- | 34 | January 7 | @ Phoenix | | David Robinson (24) | Tim Duncan (15) | Tim Duncan, Avery Johnson (5) | America West Arena19,023 | 22–12 |- | 35 | January 8 | Orlando | | Tim Duncan (22) | David Robinson (13) | Terry Porter (6) | Alamodome20,131 | 23–12 |- | 36 | January 10 | Utah | | Tim Duncan (46) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (6) | Alamodome17,944 | 24–12 |- | 37 | January 13 | @ Sacramento | | Tim Duncan (33) | Tim Duncan (20) | Avery Johnson (6) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 24–13 |- | 38 | January 14 | @ Seattle | | Tim Duncan (32) | Tim Duncan (16) | Avery Johnson (7) | KeyArena17,072 | 24–14 |- | 39 | January 17 | @ L. A. Clippers | | David Robinson (38) | Tim Duncan (13) | Avery Johnson (9) | STAPLES Center14,264 | 25–14 |- | 40 | January 19 | Portland | | David Robinson (29) | David Robinson (12) | Terry Porter (7) | Alamodome20,638 | 25–15 |- | 41 | January 22 | New York | | Tim Duncan (33) | Tim Duncan (15) | Avery Johnson (6) | Alamodome34,429 | 26–15 |- | 42 | January 25 | L. A. Clippers | | Tim Duncan (24) | Tim Duncan, David Robinson (13) | Antonio Daniels, Terry Porter (6) | Alamodome14,800 | 27–15 |- | 43 | January 27 | Minnesota | | Tim Duncan (20) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome15,911 | 28–15 |- | 44 | January 29 | @ Portland | | Avery Johnson (15) | David Robinson (10) | Avery Johnson (5) | Rose Garden Arena20,584 | 28–16
| 45 | February 1 | L. A. Lakers | | Tim Duncan (29) | Tim Duncan (18) | Avery Johnson (9) | Alamodome25,589 | 29–16 |- | 46 | February 3 | Toronto | | Tim Duncan (32) | Tim Duncan (17) | Tim Duncan, Antonio Daniels (7) | Alamodome19,048 | 30–16 |- | 47 | February 6 | @ Utah | | Tim Duncan (32) | Tim Duncan (10) | Avery Johnson (6) | Delta Center18,981 | 30–17 |- | 48 | February 8 | Seattle | | Tim Duncan (22) | David Robinson (11) | Avery Johnson (5) | Alamodome16,373 | 31–17 |- | 49 | February 9 | @ Denver | | David Robinson (30) | Tim Duncan (13) | Avery Johnson (8) | Pepsi Center16,607 | 32–17 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- | 50 | February 15 | @ Cleveland | | Tim Duncan (21) | David Robinson (11) | Avery Johnson (10) | Gund Arena15,142 | 32–18 |- | 51 | February 18 | Houston | | Tim Duncan (19) | Tim Duncan (8) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome26,846 | 33–18 |- | 52 | February 20 | @ Houston | | Tim Duncan (25) | Tim Duncan (11) | Avery Johnson (13) | Compaq Center16,285 | 34–18 |- | 53 | February 21 | Phoenix | | David Robinson (31) | David Robinson (18) | Terry Porter (7) | Alamodome17,049 | 34–19 |- | 54 | February 24 | @ Charlotte | | David Robinson (16) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (7) | Charlotte Coliseum18,535 | 35–19 |- | 55 | February 25 | @ Chicago | | David Robinson (23) | Malik Rose (11) | Avery Johnson (5) | United Center22,879 | 36–19 |- | 56 | February 27 | @ Minnesota | | David Robinson (29) | David Robinson (9) | Terry Porter (7) | Target Center19,654 | 36–20 |- | 57 | February 29 | Miami | | David Robinson (19) | Samaki Walker (11) | Avery Johnson (5) | Alamodome18,629 | 37–20
| 58 | March 2 | Minnesota |